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Nov 27, 2012

Recent Screening Update

I don't know if you've ever noticed the Recent Screenings icon sidebar to the right, but that's where you can keep track of everything I've watched recently and see my ratings and tweet-length (or slightly longer) reviews. Here's a little taste of the updates in the past couple of weeks. 'Tis the season of Oscar films and updates are made frequently, so check back often!

Queen of Versailles (dir. Greenfield)Sharply edited to maximize the bitter comedy, Queen of Versailles is a treatise on everything that is wrong with our society today, shot through the lens of reality television. (A-)The Perks of Being a Wallflower (dir. Chbosky)Dodging many high-school drama clichés, but not all; heartfelt at its best moments and a bit cheesy at its worst; Benefits greatly from the director’s familiarity with his own source material and Logan Lerman’s star-making turn. (B)Brave (dir. Chapman & Andrews) Pixar lite, sure, but it’s still Pixar lite, which is to say a gorgeously rendered, arresting tale from start to finish. It’s a princess story like you’ve never seen before, as fiery as Merida’s locks. (B)Smashed (dir. Ponsoldt)It leaves the supporting characters underexplored but in the process, becomes a showcase for one of the year’s best performances in Winstead’s intimate and vulnerable portrayal of alcoholism. (B+)Life of Pi (dir. Lee)Absolutely resplendent painting of the ocean, with all its grace and horror, but otherwise muddled with blatant spirituality and intercut with a distractingly mushy framing device. (C+)Skyfall (dir. Mendes) (thoughts) One of the best in the long-standing franchise. Craig charms, Bardem repulses and Dench breaks the heart; the action is tense and the girls are fine but the true star of the show is Roger Deakins’s visionary cinematography. (B+)